Coreopsis plant named ‘Sangria’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct  Coreopsis  plant named ‘Sangria’ characterized by small ruby red inflorescences, and an upright, very dwarf habit.

Botanical name: Coreopsis sp.

Variety designation: ‘Sangria’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct plant of Coreopsisand given the cultivar name ‘Sangria’. Coreopsis is in the familyAsteraceae. This new cultivar originated from unknown parents at thenursery in Canby, Oreg. and reproduced in tissue culture where furtherselections were made. This selection was made for its ruby redinflorescences and compact habit. The species involved are unknown.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Sangria’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Sangria’ as a new and distinct cultivar:

-   -   1. Medium sized, deep ruby red, daisy like, inflorescences.    -   2. Dwarf upright habit.    -   3. Very free flowering.

This new cultivar has been reproduced only by asexual propagation(cuttings and tissue culture). Each of the progeny exhibits identicalcharacteristics to the original plant. Asexual propagation by cuttingsand tissue culture using standard micropropagation techniques withterminal and lateral shoots, as done in Canby, Oreg., shows that theforegoing characteristics and distinctions come true to form and areestablished and transmitted through succeeding propagations. The presentinvention has not been evaluated under all possible environmentalconditions. The phenotype may vary with variations in environmentwithout a change in the genotype of the plant.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The photograph shows a one-year-old Coreopsis ‘Sangria’ growing in theground in the field in August in Canby, Oreg.

DETAILED PLANT DESCRIPTION

The following is a detailed description of the new Coreopsis cultivarbased on observations of a one-year-old specimen growing in the groundin the trial fields in August in Canby, Oreg. The color descriptions areall based on The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart.

-   Plant:    -   -   Type.—Herbaceous perennial.        -   Hardiness.—USDA Zones 9 to 10.        -   Size.—25 cm wide and 25 cm tall to top of inflorescences.        -   Form.—Mound with freely branching stems.        -   Vigor.—Excellent.-   Stem:    -   -   Type.—Ascending.        -   Size.—23 cm tall and 2.5 mm wide.        -   Internode length.—10 mm to 23 mm.        -   Surface.—Glabrous.        -   Color.—Green 137A.-   Leaf:    -   -   Type.—Simple.        -   Shape.—Linear, occasionally with 1 narrow pinnae.        -   Arrangement.—Opposite.        -   Length.—21 mm to 62 mm, sessile.        -   Width.—1 mm to 6 mm.        -   Margins.—Entire.        -   Apex.—Acute.        -   Base.—Attenuate.        -   Texture.—Soft, smooth.        -   Surface texture.—Glabrous.        -   Venation.—Pinnate.        -   Color.—Top side, Green 137A; bottom side Green 137A.-   Inflorescence:    -   -   Type.—Composite, long stalked terminal heads of daisy type            inflorescences.        -   Size.—25 mm wide and 12 mm deep.        -   Peduncle.—7 cm high and 1 mm wide, glabrous, Green 137A.        -   Bloom period.—May through August in Canby, Oreg.        -   Fragrance.—Light, daisy like.        -   Lastingness.—Each inflorescence blooms for about a week.        -   Immature.—6 mm long and 5 mm wide, glabrous, globular,            Greyed Green 189A on bottom ⅔ and Greyed Purple 187A on top            ⅓.        -   Phyllaries.—In two bowl shaped series; inside series is            larger at 10 mm wide and 5 mm deep with 8 reflexed lobes,            each 6 mm long and 3 mm wide, shape ovate, margin entire,            tip acute, glabrous, both surfaces top half Greyed Yellow            161A with the tip Greyed Orange 166A and bottom half Green            137A; outside series is 5 mm wide and 2 mm deep with 7 to 8            lobes, each 2 mm long and 1.5 mm wide, shape ovate, margin            entire, reflexed, tip acute, glabrous, Green 137A.        -   Receptacle.—Bowl shaped, 4 mm wide and 3 mm deep, Green            137A.        -   Ray florets.—8 in number, sterile with no stamen or pistil,            obovate with the tip three lobed with lobes obtuse and the            central lobe the longest, base attenuate, grows to 10 mm            long, 6 mm wide, glabrous on both sides, topside — Deep ruby            red, between Greyed Purple 187A and 187B, sometimes            lightening toward tip; bottom side — Greyed Red 187C but            more blue purple.        -   Disc florets.—About 60 in number, each floret 6 mm long and            0.8 mm wide, tubular, Greyed Purple 187A at the apex to            Orange 24A; pistil one in number, 3 mm long, extruding,            2-branched stigma, Orange 24A; stamen 5 in number; pollen            Yellow Orange 19A.        -   Disc.—Conic in shape, cone grows to 6.5 mm wide and becoming            3 mm deep with maturity, colored Greyed Red 183A when young,            opening to orange, Orange 24A with a dark background, Greyed            Red 183A.-   Fruit:    -   -   Type.—Achene, not fully formed.        -   Fertility.—Infertile.-   Seed: None produced.-   Disease and pests: Coreopsis are susceptible to mildew and fungal    spots. None of these have been observed on plants grown under    commercial conditions in Canby, Oreg.

COMPARISONS TO SIMILAR COREOPSIS

Compared to Coreopsis ‘Limerock Ruby’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 15,455), thisnew cultivar has the same inflorescence color but smaller inflorescencesize and a much more upright and dwarf habit.

1. A new and distinct Coreopsis plant herein characterized anddescribed.